Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) - HBW 5, p. 451

Taxonomy:Hirundo Melba Linnaeus, 1758, Gibraltar. Genus Tachymarptis has commonly been merged into Apus, but nowadays increasingly separated; differs in feather lice, foot structure of nestling, large size and tendency towards white underparts. Race of Mali birds not yet established, but their isolation from other breeding populations suggests it could be an undescribed race. Proposed race striatus from Mt Kenya is synonym of africanus. Subspecies name dorabtatai often misspelt dorobtatai. Ten subspecies currently recognized.